Local News

All kinds of food, music at International Music Fest

Locals performed cultures' music

The Dixie Street Band was part of the International Music Fest. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

Kids from Candy's Dance Academy performed during the International Music Fest at the Fort Morgan Middle School on Saturday. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

More kinds of foods than ever — and music just as great as ever — were on hand for visitors at the International Music Fest Saturday.

Most of the food vendors sold out as up to 500 people came to enjoy the event, said Greg Wagers, chairman of the OneMorgan County Board of Directors. OMC sponsored the event.

There were many families with kids who showed up, with people of all kinds, he said.

"What a nice mix of cultures," Wagers said.

It was also a nice showing of acceptance of other cultures, not long after someone vandalized some refugees' automobiles in what has been called a hate crime.

The Morgan Community College Polka Band performed for the International Music Fest at Fort Morgan Middle School on Saturday. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

Those at the festival honored the Fort Morgan Ministerial Alliance for its work raising money for the No2Hate project. The alliance was very supportive of raising money to help pay for repairs to vandalized automobiles.

Some networking with friends, neighbors and the local Catholic church brought in 10 different booths serving German, Mexican and Salvadoran food in the cafeteria at the Fort Morgan Middle School.

Down in the main hall, more booths showed off the heritage of the various cultures represented in Morgan County. Other booths held artwork from Brazil and Native American culture.

While all that was happening, the auditorium had virtually non-stop music performances by the Dixie Street Jazz band, the Morgan Community College Polka Band, the Ginga band and Tamborazo al Alegria.

In another part of the cafeteria, Candy's Dance Academy dancers showed off what they have learned this year, and people enjoyed the sounds of the Lake Street Singers.

Some Somali kids also performed some of their traditional dances.

International cuisine ranged from cabbage pockets to Raspados to pupusas.

Raspados are simply the name for what Americans would call Sno Cones, but the El Salvadoran pupusas were probably new to some folks. They are similar to the Mexican food called gorditas.

The Tienda Emmanuel booth was one of 10 food booths at the International Music Fest. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

There were also some Mexican festival foods such as Takis — similar to Cheetos, but very spicy — and elotes loco — corn on the cob with mayonnaise on it, covered with various spices.

There were also hot dogs and ice cream for those whose tastes ran to American standards, and chocolate-covered strawberries and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Those listening to the Dixie Street Jazz band enjoyed a variety of ragtime tunes, marches, hymns and traditional Dixie-style music and New Orleans jazz.

New Orleans jazz, sometimes referred to as hot jazz or early jazz, is a style of music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and spread to places like Chicago and New York City in the 1910s.

The MCC Polka Band played a large selection of polkas, waltzes, marches and schottisches. Polka is a form of European dance music which originated in Bohemia. It migrated to the U.S. with Eastern European immigrants and remains popular wherever they lived.

Ginga has a unique blend of talented Colorado musicians who are steeped in the study and spread of traditional Brazilian music. Brazilian music is full of passion, sentiment and joy, like that in its sambas. It is the result of the long simmering mix of Native American, Portuguese and African origins meeting global influences to create magical music.